Embryo screening sparks controversy over ‘designer babies’

Provincial governments in Canada are beginning to recognize in-vitro fertilization treatments as a necessary health cost.

Essentially, IVF is the test-tube fertilization of an ovum with a sperm. The resulting embryo is then implanted into the mother’s or surrogate’s uterus. The first successful birth of a “test-tube baby” was in 1978. The physiologist who developed the treatment, Robert G. Edwards, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2010.

Last August, Quebec became the first province to put nearly the full cost of IVF on the public health care bill. The government funds up to three treatments, and has a refundable tax credit for up to 50 per cent of your total IVF cost.

Manitoba followed Quebec’s lead, offering a tax credit for up to 40 per cent of treatment expenses.

Since 1994, Ontario has covered IVF treatments, but only for women with the extremely rare condition of having two fully blocked Fallopian tubes.

Dr. Santiago Munne, who developed the first pre-implantation genetic test for Down’s Syndrome and a host of other chromosomal abnormalities, is well aware of the potential for Quebec — and now Manitoba — to take off into the fertility treatment industry.

Munne is the founder and president of Reprogenetics, a company that offers pre-implantation

genetic diagnosis, or PGD, to couples undergoing IVF treatments.

He has been considering opening Reprogenetics labs in Montreal and Toronto as funding to treat infertility becomes more available to Canadians, and aided conception becomes more popular.

What Reprogenetics does is embryo screening. Right before implantation, scientists assess the genetic makeup of the embryos, discarding those deemed unsuitable. The screenings cost about $2,500 and results are back in only a few hours.

The obvious application of this is screening for genetic disorders. But, it raises some ethical concerns once one begins to screen embryos for specific traits and physical characteristics.

As with every other issue surrounding reproductive rights, people are questioning how much control humans ought to have in the pairing of sex cells. PGD has been associated with “liberal eugenics” — loaded terminology that invokes the image of hopeful parents selecting desired characteristics for their progeny out of a catalogue.

Is it possible that embryo screeners will discard not only specimens with genetic defects, but also those with the gene for freckles or brown hair? What characteristics define an “unsuitable embryo?”

Dr. Roger Pierson, the director for the Reproductive Biology Research Unit at the University of Saskatchewan, thinks that this question has yet to be seriously addressed. He told the Montreal Gazette that “we desperately need a national think-tank on how we’re going to accept or reject or implement the changes that are coming.”

He pointed out that industry leaders are still trying to ratify the old policies surrounding sperm donors, never mind the issues at the forefront of reproductive technology. He also expressed concern about venturing into the age of “designer babies.”

Munne was quick to dismiss the concerns, saying, “I don’t have any problem with perfect babies.”

Perfection is a concept explored by almost every field of study, but the word is not often applied to humans. Aesthetic and physiological perfection are so highly subjective, it seems ludicrous to suggest that a “perfect baby” could even exist.

But Munne said the technology is not used solely for aesthetics. It benefits couples who suffer from recurrent pregnancy loss, meaning one miscarriage after another.

Early schematics of the Children’s Hospital of Saskatchewan were unveiled Thursday, giving students and residents of

Shoplifting in Place Riel:Click to expand

A male subject was caught stealing from the Mac’s Convenience Store in Lower Place Riel on Dec. 12. The theft was verified by surveillance footage, and all information was relayed to the Saskatoon Police Service for action.

Stolen vehicle:Click to expand

On Dec. 13, members of Protective Services were surprised to witness a vehicle leaving Aird Street and Cumberland Avenue South at high speed. The vehicle accelerated toward College Drive, where it drove on the grass by the Stadium Parkade and then left, westbound on the wrong side of the road. Officers called off their pursuit and contacted the Saskatoon Police Service, who stated they had been tracking the vehicle all night, as it had been stolen. No one on campus was injured.

Power breakers shut off:Click to expand

Sometime on Dec. 16, two males were suspected of shutting off all of the breakers near Moose Lounge in Saskatchewan Hall. Although images of the suspects were caught on surveillance footage, anyone with information should contact Protective Services.

Possession of stolen property:Click to expand

On Jan. 9, officers stopped a suspicious individual on a bicycle near the Saskatoon Cancer Centre. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the individual was in possession of a stolen bicycle and was wanted for warrants with the police. The bicycle was seized by Protective Services and returned to its owner.

Broken ceiling tile:Click to expand

Residence custodians reported on Jan. 14 that a ceiling tile had been purposefully broken on the second floor of Saskatchewan Hall. Anyone with information regarding this damage should contact Protective Services or Residence Services.

Laptop theft:Click to expand

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Broken door glass:Click to expand

Officers were dispatched to Pine Hall to investigate damage to the front doors of the building on Jan. 27. Surveillance cameras in the area identified a male subject, who had kicked the door several times, causing it to break. Upon arrival, officers were able to identify the individual, who had sustained injuries as a result of the related mischief.

Vehicle hits fire hydrant:Click to expand

Protective Services received a call regarding a vehicle that was stuck near Veterinary Road on Jan. 28. A tow truck was contacted to assist with the removal of the vehicle. It was then discovered that the vehicle was caught on the remains of a fire hydrant, which had been sheared off during the collision. The U of S Grounds Department was able to isolate the hydrant, so the vehicle could be removed without concern.